Abstract
Feed intake and carcass data of Suffolk ram lambs fed either ammoniated rice straw, nontreated rice straw or orchardgrass hay were compared.
Lambs in individual pens were fed one of those forages ad libitum with concentrace from day 90-97 of age to day 172-176. Lambs fed each forage consumed 2.1% body weight of concentrate at the basis of dry matter. Body weights at the start and end of the experiment were 30.4-30.8 kg and 50.3-51.9 kg, respectively.
Dry matter intake of ammoniated rice straw was higher than that of nontreated rice straw (P<0.05). Total intake of crude protein and total digestible nutrients of lambs fed ammoniated rice straw or hay were higher than those of lambs fed nontreated rice straw (P<0.01). Daily gain of lambs fed nontreated rice straw was slightly lower than those of lambs fed ammonited rice straw or hay. While carcass data of lambs fed each forage were not significantly different, backfat depth of lambs fed nontreated rice straw was lower than that of lambs fed ammoniated rice straw or hay.
